Teachers Split On Merit Pay Effects
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) - As Governor Rick Scott prepares to sign into law the bill that will end teacher tenure in the state of Florida and institute merit-pay; teachers around Florida are trying to come to grips with the changes that are on the way.
The new bill places a teacher's job security on how their students do on standardized tests and a school evaluation.
Plus, teachers will now be on year-to-year contracts. Ironically, the legislators who passed the law are required to pass no test and are only evaluated once every two years.
"I think that would motivate the other teachers who aren't doing as well, maybe to help them along," said parent Mindy Bagdanovich.
She likes the accountability aspect, but has questions about how it will all work, just like many teachers do.
Teacher Robert Sutton was the teacher of the year at his high school last year and said that while he's a supporter of merit pay, he said there are still a lot of issues that need to be addressed.
"What do you do with the child who comes into your classroom as a twelfth grader who reads on a fourth grade level, that does not go to a home or a parent at night, has never been taught that education is the way to go?" Sutton asked.
He said now is the time for teachers to work with lawmakers to make sure all the details are worked out. It's a view shared by other teachers like Maida Velez-Kopet.
"We need to all work together, if we don't work together, it's not going to happen and everyone's going to be on the losing end," Velez-Kopet said.
But, some teachers like Valerie Arena are not keen of the new law. She's worried the new law will chase experienced, effective teachers out of the profession.
"I believe it's like signing an education death warrant," Arena said. "I happen to know that right now, there are many, many teachers under 30 who are getting their doctorates in other fields. They're studying other fields because they see where this is going."
